The Slater Field Guide to Australian Birds
Encyclopedia
The Slater Field Guide to Australian Birds is one of the main national bird field guide
s used by Australia
n birders
.
and other members of his family. It is 215 mm high by 113 mm wide and weighs 440 g. The imprint
page asserts copyright
of the paintings for Peter Slater, of the text for Pat Slater, and of the maps for Raoul Slater.
which was the first of the new generation of Australian field guides to appear after the Second World War
. It was shortly followed by guides authored by Graham Pizzey
in 1980 and by Ken Simpson and Nicolas Day
in 1984. Slater’s second guide continued the evolutionary succession only two years later. In a review in the ornithological journal Emu
Ian Taylor said:
A second updated and reorganised 360-page edition was issued by New Holland Publishers in 2009. It has 64 new or revised colour plates, incorporating all the new birds recorded in Australia since 1986.
Field guide
A field guide is a book designed to help the reader identify wildlife or other objects of natural occurrence . It is generally designed to be brought into the 'field' or local area where such objects exist to help distinguish between similar objects...
s used by Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n birders
Birdwatching
Birdwatching or birding is the observation of birds as a recreational activity. It can be done with the naked eye, through a visual enhancement device like binoculars and telescopes, or by listening for bird sounds. Birding often involves a significant auditory component, as many bird species are...
.
Description
The guide was first published in 1986 in Sydney by Rigby Publishers and authored by Peter SlaterPeter Slater
Peter Slater is an Australian ornithologist, wildlife artist and photographer.Slater grew up in Western Australia and moved to North Queensland in 1966. He began photographing birds from an early age, has won numerous awards in international exhibitions, and was made an Artiste of the Fédération...
and other members of his family. It is 215 mm high by 113 mm wide and weighs 440 g. The imprint
Imprint
In the publishing industry, an imprint can mean several different things:* As a piece of bibliographic information about a book, it refers to the name and address of the book's publisher and its date of publication as given at the foot or on the verso of its title page.* It can mean a trade name...
page asserts copyright
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
of the paintings for Peter Slater, of the text for Pat Slater, and of the maps for Raoul Slater.
History
In 1970-74 Slater had produced a two-volume guide to Australian birdsA Field Guide to Australian Birds (Slater)
A Field Guide to Australian Birds is a two-volume bird field guide published by Rigby of Adelaide, South Australia, in its Rigby Field Guide series. The first volume was issued in 1970, with the second volume appearing in 1974...
which was the first of the new generation of Australian field guides to appear after the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It was shortly followed by guides authored by Graham Pizzey
Graham Pizzey
Graham Martin Pizzey AM was a noted Australian author, photographer and ornithologist. He was born and grew up in Melbourne and was educated at Geelong Grammar School. After leaving school he worked in his family's leather business, while studying part-time and publishing articles and...
in 1980 and by Ken Simpson and Nicolas Day
Nicolas Day
Nicolas Day is an Australian wildlife artist, illustrator and teacher.Day was born in Surrey, England, and moved to Australia at the age of ten. Having acquired an early interest in natural history, he worked as a keeper at the Melbourne Zoo before turning to wildlife illustration as a career in...
in 1984. Slater’s second guide continued the evolutionary succession only two years later. In a review in the ornithological journal Emu
Emu (journal)
Emu, subtitled Austral Ornithology, is the peer-reviewed scientific journal of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union. The journal was established in 1901 and is the oldest ornithological journal published in Australia...
Ian Taylor said:
”Peter Slater, in conjunction with his wife Pat and their son Raoul, has produced a one volume field guide for the whole of Australia which looks like being serious competition for Graham Pizzey's popular field guide. The great strengths of this book lie in its size and its format. For the first time, here is a field guide which can actually be used in the field. Unlike earlier multi-volume or large format guides, Slater will fit in a trouser or jacket pocket. Gone are the days of carrying guides in day packs or rushing back to the car to confirm an identification. What is remarkable is that it has taken so long for a pocket sized field guide to appear. Our northern hemisphere counterparts have had them for years. The other great strength is the format. At last we have a field guide with the text and distribution maps opposite the illustrations.”
A second updated and reorganised 360-page edition was issued by New Holland Publishers in 2009. It has 64 new or revised colour plates, incorporating all the new birds recorded in Australia since 1986.